The dusty trails of G-spot in Stellenbosch shone a blur of yellow as Swiss cycling great Ariane Lüthi put Anna Foundation pupils through their paces during a fun mountain bike technical skills session.
No stranger to the non-profit organisation, 2020 marks the third consecutive year that Lüthi has offered up her spare time and expertise to ride with pupils from the Anna Foundation. Five-time Cape Epic winner and Spur Schools MTB League ambassador, Ariane impressed and inspired the 11 pupils from Neethlingshof Wine Estate with her single-track skills and speed.
Stellenbosch-based Lüthi said: “Although a farm girl myself, growing up in Switzerland I had the privilege of great education and access to everything I needed to become a confident and independent woman. I feel passionate about giving back to the local community in which I live, and if through cycling I am able to make a positive difference to the lives of children from the Western Cape’s farming communities, this is a meaningful personal accomplishment.”
Anna Brom, Founder and director of Anna Foundation added: “Through our afterschool projects, including the 3Rs (“Reading, Running and Right-ing”), we offer life-long learning to build positive self-worth and self-respect.
“Since becoming a primary charity of the Absa Cape Epic in 2018, riding has evolved naturally into the fourth “R” and we are very grateful for the exposure that our involvement with events such as this bring to our organisation.
“Furthermore, meeting and engaging with sporting professionals such as Ariane go a long way in inspiring and motivating our children to follow their dreams and believe in their own abilities.”